Space Between
by Three AM
Summary: Weiss Kreuz crossover. When Botan visited her latest client, she didn't expect to be a victim of fate's twisted plans. REVISED


_DISCLAIMERS: This story is based on the Yu Yu Hakusho characters and situations created and owned byYoshihiro Togashi, __Fuji__ TV, Studio Pierrot, Shueisha, and Shonen Jump Weekly. As well as Weiss Kreuz, created and owned by Project Weiss, Koyasu Takeshito and Koyoko Tsuchiya. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. _

**SPACE BETWEEN**

**_Three AM_****__**

"Don't take me yet, please."

Botan looked down at her in surprise. She didn't expect she would instantly hint on her purpose in going there.

Slowly, Botan shook her head. "I'm not going to take you away."

"Yet," the girl added.

Once again, Botan was astounded at the girl's behavior and mind. Yes, she had to agree. She wasn't going to take her away… yet. Botan was there to check on her latest client first, but certainly not to deliver her away to Reikai. But still, she knew that the girl would surely die in the following days.

_'Fujimiya Aya, eighteen years old and had been in comatose for months,' _Botan recalled the girl's profile in the information paper Koenma had given her. _'She's been in coma for such a long time now. I wouldn't be surprised that she'd be finally taken away.' _

The girl, Aya, looked up at Botan with such pleading dark blue eyes that the Deity of Death had to turn her gaze away. "I don't know who you are, but I know you're here to kill me off and to finally take me away to… wherever we're going."

Botan vehemently shook her head and quickly explained, "I'm not to going to kill you. And I certainly won't hurt you. I'm just here to…"

Aya looked at her questioningly when she stopped. "To what?"

Botan took a deep breath. She didn't want for this to happen. This wasn't to suppose to happen yet. Shrugging, she said, "Just to check on you."

The girl looked down on the floor. "Check on me if I'm dying or not."

The ferry girl closed her eyes tightly… and guiltily. _'She wasn't making this any easier,' _Botan said silently. _'But of course she wasn't making things easy. She knows she was dying for goodness' sake! Who could accept that harsh reality freely?' _

Silence engulfed the whole room. Botan surveyed the hospital room once again, not wanting to look back into those melancholy dark blue pools of a dying soul.

The walls and ceiling were painted white. There was only one window with white curtains and a single door leading to the quiet hallway of the hospital. There were neither much any accessories nor furniture inside the room, except for the bedside table and a thin wooden chair. A pretty vase was sitting atop the table and in it was a small bouquet of withering lavender. Beside the table was the hospital bed. And lying in the center of the immaculately white bed was the sleeping body of Aya, seemingly like a slumbering angel; her navy blue hair done in neat braids, her eyes closed in serenity and her face betraying no expressions.

Except for the faint noises from the street outside the hospital, all was quiet. No one and nothing moved in the room. Even Botan and the soul of Aya, both of whom were standing in one corner of the room and silently watching the still beauty sleep, were not moving at all.

"Isn't it a bit odd looking at your own body?" Botan asked, trying to erase the strained silence. But a second after she uttered that question, she quickly regretted it.

But Aya didn't look a bit angry at the inquiry. She even smiled a little. "Yes, it is. But it's freaky too."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

"It's alright," Aya said.

Utter stillness. Again. Botan hated it.

"Why are you in kimono?"

Botan blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

Aya smiled. "You're wearing a pink kimono. Why?"

"It's our uniform," she answered, smiling back.

"Strange," Aya commented.

"Yes, I know," Botan agreed, nodding slightly. "I guess he wanted for us to stick to old traditions."

"He? Who is he?"

"Our King Enma," she answered. "But we aren't entitled to see him. Though, I did saw the great King only once because he needed to instruct me directly at that time. However, we have one master too, Koenma. He's the son of the King, so making him the Prince of Reikai. He's the one who's directing us."

But Aya just got more confused. "You have a King?"

"Yes."

"And a Prince?"

Botan nodded. The girl looked like she was finding it all hard to believe and Botan couldn't help but be amused.

"What's Reikai? Is it heaven?"

"No…" Botan began to reply then faltered. "Well, not really. It is very hard to explain what Reikai really is."

Aya merely nodded then turned her gaze back to her body again. Then she asked the question Botan was waiting for. "Who are you?"

"My name's Botan."

"I'm Aya—"

"I know."

Aya looked at her for some moment then said, "I don't know how but I'm guessing you know a lot about me."

"I know enough about you," Botan corrected.

"So you know about the accident."

The Deity wasn't entirely shocked to find that Aya didn't know about the plan. The cause of her coma wasn't entirely an accident. But she decided not to mention it.

"Did you…" Aya trailed off.

Botan looked at her questioningly, prodding her to go on.

"Did you die?"

She blinked, not expecting her question. She paused for a second before replying, "I don't know."

"Why?"

"I don't have a past. If I have, I don't remember any," Botan answered calmly.

"Oh," Aya could just say. Then, "Are you an angel?"

The Deity of Death snorted. "Hardly. I don't have wings. Just an oar."

"Oar?"

"Yes."

Aya didn't push on further on that, instead she asked, "Who are you?" Aya asked again.

"I told you I'm—"

"No, what I mean is…" Aya interrupted. "What are you?"

Botan bit her lip, hesitating whether to tell her the truth or not.

Aya was looking at her warily yet curiously. But when she sensed her doubt, she placated her, wanting to know the truth. "It's okay, you can tell me." She paused, her mouth working a few times but no words came out. Then she took a deep breath.

"I'm dying, aren't I?"

Botan was silent for a few moments. This wasn't supposed to happen yet. This wasn't supposed to happen yet!

But… _'The truth will set you free.'_

The Deity of Death smiled humorlessly. _'Truth?__ Free? But I know she won't be free once she learned of the truth. Indeed she would just be bounded more to her pain… _

_'This has got to stop. She would know anyway. She could even feel it now already…_

_'Death.__ She could even see me now.'_

So Botan, not wanting to hide anything from her anymore least of all the truth, nodded.

"I can guess as much," Aya said with a small shaky smile. Unwanted tears were slowly building in her eyes. "So who—what are you?"

"Grim Ripper. Divine Intervention. Goddess of Death. Or just plain Death itself," Botan replied, smiling ironically. She watched sadly as a single tear started its way down Aya's cheek. "But really I'm just a ferry girl. God knows it sounds way better than my other names."

"Ferry girl?" Aya asked and even smiled amusedly despite her tears.

Botan chuckled. "Sounds funny, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Aya nodded. "So… you don't kill me off. But you wait for me to die and then that's when you'll take me away."

Botan faced her, guilt-ridden, but straightly. Neither of them could run from the truth. And as soon as possible, they should accept it now rather than face the pain later, for then it would only hurt much more.

With a firm voice, Botan said, "I will escort your soul from here, the world of mortal men, to Reikai for you to be sentenced."

"Sentenced? What do you mean? What will happen to me?" Aya asked, suddenly becoming panicked.

"You'll just be guided where your soul will be staying then," Botan quickly explained. "Heaven or Hell or… Reincarnation…"

"Does it truly exists?"

"What? Reikai?"

"No, Reincarnation."

Botan nodded. "Yes. There are also many other places in Reikai. But I can't tell you, not because I don't want to but because I'm really not so sure. Reikai is a very huge place and it's all too complicated to understand."

Aya turned her eyes back to her sleeping form. She couldn't stop the tears now. "So I'm really dying, huh."

Botan didn't say anything.

"I don't want to die."

The Deity couldn't look at Aya, at her soul nor her body. "I'm sorry, Aya."

"Please…"

"I don't control it."

Aya was now crying openly. Botan let her. She could only put an arm around the crying girl's shoulder and looked vacantly at the window.

Many minutes passed and no one said anything further. Then Botan sensed Aya was calmer now. She looked at the girl but she felt more awful and depressed at seeing Aya's blank eyes.

Aya slowly wiped her tears away, still staring at her body lying in the bed. "Strange. How a soul can still cry."

Botan nodded. "I know. It's just how things are."

"Like death."

Suddenly, the door opened. A man with a bouquet of lavender in hand walked quietly inside the room. He closed the door behind him then started his way toward the bed.

Botan heard Aya gasped in shock. "Oniisan."

_'Her brother,' _Botan realized. She watched the man as he threw the old flowers into the bin and placed the new set of lavender in the vase. He went to stand at the end of the bed and finally, looked down at his sister lying still. And that's when she got a good look of him.

He was a very tall man with a well-built frame. Contrary to his younger sister, he looked more like a tough indifferent guy while his sister surely looked very sweet and warm. He had red messy hair and on his ear was a single thin dangling earring, which Botan found to be weird. He also had a pleasant face… A very ruggedly handsome face to be precise.

But Botan was more surprised to see his eyes. His eyes were of the same color as hers, violet. But his were more of a deep and dark shade. But totally unlike hers, his eyes seemed to be cold… distant… too unemotional.

_'Might be because of his sister's condition,'_ Botan thought.

Aya was again on the verge of breaking down. "Oniisan," she whispered again, this time with a deep-seated longing in her voice.

With a cry, Aya ran toward him, arms stretched open yearning to hold his older brother… and to be held again.

But to her complete astonishment, she just went past through him.

She forgot. She was nothing more but a transparent soul. A mere ghost of what she used to be.

Botan couldn't see her face, but she knew very well that Aya's tears started falling again. She took pity on the girl and couldn't help her own tears as well. She immediately looked away from the scene and wiped her tears away.

Fujimiya Ran felt like a full bucket of ice had been dropped off on him. His whole body went rigid and he suddenly felt very cold. He turned toward the window and found it really peculiar that the curtains weren't moving at all. Even the window was closed.

He breathed out heavily, dismissing the odd condition, then turned his attention back to his sleeping sister. He looked at her, watched at her like a big brother would for his little sister. But unlike the other older brothers, he wasn't able to protect his younger sister enough. She became a victim of someone so depraved and so evil and Ran failed immensely on keeping her within his safe arms.

He let her go… And now she was on the edge of the cliff. Death was faithfully waiting for her to fall down.

Ran gazed down emotionlessly at the slumbering Aya. Not that he didn't care for his sister anymore. Damn it, he was guilty. Everyday he felt that baneful guilt crawling beneath his skin. Every morning, fate had to remind him of his fault. Every night, the scene of her getting hit by that same damned car haunted him in his nightmares. Not one moment passed that he could breathe freely. He was restrained. He didn't deserve any freedom nor happiness anyone could offer.

Not after what he had let happened.

But together with guilt came vengeance. If his sin of failing his sister was slowly killing him second by second, fully existent revenge was keeping him alive. Ran just couldn't allow himself to die without avenging his sister. It was the only way, maybe for Aya to forgive him, but certainly not to forgive himself.

By this silent loathing he learned to be apathetic, so unfeeling.

And now, as he gazed down at his Aya, he couldn't help but still be indifferent. Knowing his sister too well, he might have been forgiven a long time ago. Knowing her compassionate and gentle heart, she would be weeping for him right now.

_'But I don't need it, Aya. I don't deserve it,' _Ran said quietly.

True to Ran's thoughts, Aya was currently crying. She couldn't help it. She wanted so much to hug her brother, the only family she has left. She wanted so much to feel alive once again. She wanted so much to be comforted, to be told that she wasn't dying.

Botan backed a few steps until her back touched the cold wall. She had gone through the same episodes almost every day. Each one touching her heart. And each one making her feel somehow the one to blame for their torment.

She should have been used to this. But she wasn't, even until now.

Botan bit her lip hard as she watched Aya broke down on the floor, her head buried in her hands. She then diverted her eyes toward the man, who was just standing as still as her, but quietly staring at his sister on bed.

"I just want to hold you."

Botan heard Aya's desperate plea. Guiltily, she pressed herself harder on the wall.

"Is that too much to ask?"

The Deity of Death bowed her head low, in sadness and shame.

Ran breathed out heavily. He had stayed on longer than he intended to. The reason, full compact guilt was eating him slowly and alive. He would prefer to kill anytime than stay there on his sister's deathbed.

He walked at the edge of the bed. He was about to bend down and kiss his sister's forehead but decided against it. He almost forgot. He didn't deserve it.

Ran walked toward the door without anymore of a backward glance.

Aya gasped as she felt her brother walking through her. Then with anguished eyes, she watched his retreating back walked away from her. She felt so hopeless. She wanted to reach out and touch him. She wanted to hold him back and tell him not to leave her alone again. She wanted to live.

But she couldn't do anything to even just make him feel her presence. She couldn't do a single thing to save her life.

But Botan could. She knew very well that it was against their law. Ferry girls like her weren't supposed to intervene, unless it was purely an emergency and directed by their masters. But still, no one could deprive anyone of their own minds.

And Botan, Death as she may be, had her own mind.

Breathing out unsteadily but resolving her mind, she quickly went to Aya, stooped down and whispered, "I can make you alive again even just for a minute."

Aya, with tears streaming down her face, looked up at Botan, disbelieving for a moment yet she quickly grasped her hand and gripped it hard like a lifeline.

Ran was already turning the doorknob when he heard someone cry out from behind, "Oniisan!"

He stopped. With that single word he was amazed his heart could beat so fast and hard, from fright or anticipation he didn't know. But his heart… it was beating so rapidly and loudly that he was almost scared it would jump out of his chest.

"Oniisan."

This time, the voice was much softer. He really didn't believe in ghosts and even if such things existed, he still wouldn't be scared of it. Hell, he was an assassin. Killing was his profession. He couldn't be scared of anything.

But he knew, in the farthest corner of his mind, he was afraid. Afraid of what he might NOT see. He could just have been imagining the voice, calling out at him the way Aya did before. He could just have been longing for her presence so much that he just conceived it all in his mind only. He was afraid that if he turned he would not see anything or anyone at all. And it would hurt. Because he searched and yet didn't see.

Faint steps walked toward him. Preparing himself, he finally turned around.

With Aya inside her and in control of her body, Botan said softly, "Oniisan, it's me."

Ran was very much shocked to find a young woman standing within a foot in front of him. She had long light blue hair, the color that of the gay sky, up in a simple ponytail. She was not short, yet not too tall too. Her height was just reaching up to his chin. She was even quite pretty.

But her eyes… Ran couldn't understand her eyes. It was of the same color as his, only hers have a lighter shade. And it held a puzzling mixture of sadness, hope, yearning and love. Why?

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice deadly as usual. He couldn't let his guard down. Who the hell was this woman? And what was she doing here?

But Botan shook her head. "I know it's very hard to believe. I can't fully understand everything either. But oniisan, it's me, Aya," Botan said tearfully, her eyes and voice begging for a flicker of recognition and comprehension. _'Please… let him accept.' _

Ran frowned and narrowed his eyes. "How dare you use my sister? Who the hell are you?!"

He started toward her with a dangerous look in his eyes, intent on grasping her tightly and making her confess. _'What kind of a setup is this?' _

But Botan reached him first then hugged him tightly around the waist, burying her face in his chest. She couldn't stop the tears. She knew she was soaking his shirt but she didn't care. She was finally alive again. She finally felt her brother's warmth again. She could finally talk to him again. She could finally feel some hope.

"Oniisan, remember okaasan and otousan? They used to bring us out in the park every Saturdays. There we used to play in the playground. We would race toward the swings. But you always ended up in pushing me because at that time my feet couldn't reach the ground," Botan said, reminiscing on Aya's memories.

At hearing his and his sister's memories together, Ran got incensed. He gripped Botan's arms very strongly, so roughly it hurt. "Whom do you work for?! How and where did you gain those??" he hissed angrily.

But she just embraced him tighter and still pressed her face against his chest. "I know this is all too unbelievable, oniisan. But you've got to believe me. This is me, Aya. There's this lady… She was so kind to lend me her body. Because…"

Botan trailed off. She was feeling so overwhelmed with joy, relief, sorrow, and panic that she felt it was all too much for her. But then, this was the only way she could get close to him. This was the only way she could feel him once again.

"Because oniisan," Botan continued, looking up at him and staring directly into those intense violet eyes she had missed so much. "I want to tell you that I love you so much. I miss you so much."

Ran shook his head slowly, disbelievingly. He tightened his hold on her arms that Botan had to wince. But he didn't notice that. He didn't even notice that his face, always so impassive and cold, was now betraying him and showing so openly what he was feeling inside. Pain. Relief. Confusion. Disbelief…

And Botan saw all of that. She saw, through her tearful gaze, her determined stare, the emotions Ran was trying hard not to feel. She could feel him holding himself back, forcing himself not to believe what he was seeing.

Though his hands were still gripping her arms tightly, she reached up and touched his firm cold cheek with her warm soft hand. And Botan saw Ran's eyes flicker.

"I'm real, oniisan. Please believe me."

Ran could hardly believe it all, but he was more astounded at finding himself believing. He didn't know how, but he just did. Somehow, he could feel himself being the older brother again holding his little sister.

He closed his arms around her and held her tightly… no, gently. He was almost afraid that he'd break her, that he would break this fantasy. Real or not, he was ashamedly embracing it. "Aya…?"

With a renewed smile, Botan said, "And I won't die oniisan. I'll fight for you."

She closed her eyes tensely then embraced him again, her face resting on his shoulder.

Just then, Aya went out of Botan's body and whispered to her, "Thank you, Botan."

Then, she faded into space, finally returning to her body.

But Botan was still within Ran's fierce embrace. She could feel his heartbeat thudding against her chest. She could feel his strong arms surrounding her closely, holding her like there was no tomorrow, making a silent promise that he would protect her no matter what. She could feel his warm breath as he breathed on her hair and ear. She could feel his warmth, emitting from his body, offering her refuge from all the harms in the world.

She could feel his love…

A passionate brotherly love for his sister.

Unconsciously, a tear rolled down on her cheek.

"I'm sorry Aya," Ran said softly. It was all he could say. Sorry. Just that. But it was enough. One word spoke of thousand meanings. He hoped his sister got what he meant.

He ran down his hands gently on her hair. It was so soft and smooth as silk. His other hand rested on her back and with it, he hugged her closer to him. He wanted to keep her like this. Breathing. Talking. So alive. So warm.

But he knew he couldn't. Cursing at fate, he knew, somehow, this wasn't at all too real. But then he believed everything was real.

Ran shook his head, setting aside such confusing thoughts. All he wanted right now was to savor this moment. He hoped she would stay longer so he could memorize in his mind every single detail of this moment. So in someway, he knew he wasn't losing his sister. He also found it a bit ironic; it was he who was fighting and killing criminals yet he was the one who found comfort in his sister's own fight for him.

Botan wanted so much to remain like that forever. She wanted the love Ran was freely giving to her under the misunderstanding that she was his sister, only now not anymore. But still, she wanted it. She craved for his love. She longed for a love, so fierce and so fervent like this…

For a love she never knew.

She knew it was very selfish of her. But no one could blame her. This was the only closest way she could feel her needed love.

But then…

This wasn't all meant for her. She was Death. No one should suppose to love her. No one really could.

Ashamedly and regretfully, she started to back away.

But Ran held her back. Softly, he kissed her forehead.

Botan was stunned but nonetheless, closed her eyes and let the wrong affection run through her body. _'Just this… Only this. Let me have it…'_

Finally, he let her go.

Tearfully, Botan moved out of his embrace. With one last look, she let out a small sad smile.

Ran stared at her eyes, not masking his want for her. Damn it, but he wanted… needed to feel her heat against him again. He longed for the sound of her breathing, of her cry as tears fell down on her face. He yearned to touch her again, to convince himself that she was still alive.

She took another step backwards then finally faded into the background.

Ran stared at nothingness.

But he knew everything was real. Aya was real.

And she… the woman with the same violet eyes…

She was real.

_The End_


End file.
